第一小说网

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第100部分（第2页）

The　young　man　consulted　Cai　Mao；　who　called　Wang　Wei　an　evil　counselor　and　spoke　to　him　harshly。

〃You　are　mad！　You　know　nothing　and　understand　nothing　of　destiny；〃　said　Cai　Mao。

Wang　Wei　angrily　retorted；　saying；　〃Cai　Mao　is　the　betrayer　of　the　country；　and　I　wish　I　could　eat　him　alive！〃

The　quarrel　waxed　deadly；　and　Cai　Mao　wanted　to　slay　Wang　Wei。　But　eventually　peace　was　restored　by　Kuai　Yue。

Then　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun　went　to　Fancheng　to　see　Cao　Cao。

Cai　Mao　was　by　instinct　specious　and　flattering；　and　when　his　host　asked　concerning　the　resources　of　Jingzhou；　he　replied；　〃There　are　fifty　thousand　of　horse；　one　hundred　fifty　thousand　of　foot；　and　eighty　thousand　of　marines。　Most　of　the　money　and　grain　are　at　Jiangling。　The　rest　is　stored　at　various　places。　There　are　ample　supplies　for　a　year。〃

〃How　many　war　vessels　are　there？　Who　is　in　mand？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃The　ships；　of　all　sizes；　number　seven　thousands；　and　we　two　are　the　manders。〃

Upon　this　Cao　Cao　conferred　upon　Cai　Mao　the　title　of　the　Lord　Who　Controls　the　South；　and　Supreme　Admiral　of　the　Naval　Force；　and　Zhang　Yun　was　his　Vice…Admiral　with　the　title　of　the　Lord　Who　Brings　Obedience。

When　they　went　to　thank　Cao　Cao　for　these　honors；　he　told　them；　saying；　〃I　am　about　to　propose　to　the　Throne　that　Liu　Biaos　son　should　be　perpetual　Imperial　Protector　of　Jingzhou　in　succession　to　his　late　father。〃

With　this　promise　for　their　young　master　and　the　honors　for　themselves；　they　retired。

Then　Xun　You　asked　Cao　Cao；　〃Why　these　two　evident　self…seekers　and　flatterers　have　been　treated　so　generously？〃

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃Do　I　not　know　all　about　them？　Only　in　the　north；　where　we　have　been；　we　know　very　little　of　war　by　water；　and　these　two　men　do。　I　want　their　help　for　the　present。　When　my　end　is　achieved；　I　can　do　as　I　like　with　them。〃

Liu　Zong　was　highly　delighted　when　his　two　chief　supporters　returned　with　the　promise　Cao　Cao　had　given　them。　Soon　after　he　gave　up　his　seal　and　military　mission　and　proceeded　to　wele　Cao　Cao；　who　received　him　very　graciously。

Cao　Cao　next　proceeded　to　camp　near　Xiangyang。　The　populace；　led　by　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun；　weled　him　with　burning　incense；　and　he　on　his　part　put　forth　proclamations　couched　in　forting　terms。

Cao　Cao　presently　entered　the　city　and　took　his　seat　in　the　residence　in　state。　Then　he　summoned　Kuai　Yue　and　said　to　him　graciously；　〃I　do　not　rejoice　so　much　at　gaining　Jingzhou　as　at　meeting　you；　friend　Kuai　Yue。〃

Cao　Cao　made　Kuai　Yue　Governor　of　Jiangling　and　Lord　of　Fancheng；　Wang　Can；　Fu　Xuan；　and　Kuai　Yues　other　adherents　were　all　ennobled。　Liu　Zong　became　Imperial　Protector　of　Qingzhou　in　the　north　and　was　ordered　to　proceed　to　his　region　forthwith。

Liu　Zong　was　greatly　frightened　and　said；　〃I　have　no　wish　to　bee　an　actual　official。　I　wish　to　remain　in　the　place　where　my　father　and　mother　live。〃

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃Your　protectorship　is　quite　near　the　capital；　and　I　have　sent　you　there　as　a　full　official　to　remove　you　from　the　intrigues　of　this　place。〃

In　vain　Liu　Zong　declined　the　honors　thus　thrust　upon　him：　He　was　pelled　to　go　and　he　departed；　taking　his　mother　with　him。　Of　his　friends；　only　Wang　Wei　acpanied　him。　Some　of　his　late　officers　escorted　him　as　far　as　the　river　and　then　took　their　leave。

Then　Cao　Cao　called　his　trusty　officer　Yu　Jin　and　said；　〃Follow　Liu　Zong　and　put　him　and　his　mother　to　death。　Our　worries　are　thus　removed。〃

Yu　Jin　followed　the　small　party。

When　he　drew　near　he　shouted；　〃I　have　an　order　from　the　great　Prime　Minister　to　put　you　both　to　death；　mother　and　son！　You　may　as　well　submit　quietly。〃

Lady　Cai　threw　her　arms　about　her　son；　lifted　up　her　voice　and　wept。　Yu　Jin　bade　his　soldiers　get　on　with　their　bloody　work。　Only　Wang　Wei　made　any　attempt　to　save　his　mistress；　and　he　was　soon　killed。　The　two；　mother　and　son；　were　soon　finished；　and　Yu　Jin　returned　to　report　his　success。　He　was　richly　rewarded。

Next　Cao　Cao　sent　to　discover　and　seize　the　family　of　Zhuge　Liang；　but　they　had　already　disappeared。　Zhuge　Liang　had　moved　them　to　the　Three　Gorges。　It　was　much　to　Cao　Caos　disgust　that　the　search　was　fruitless。

So　Xiangyang　was　settled。　Then　Xun　You　proposed　a　further　advance。

He　said；　〃Jiangling　is　an　important　place；　and　very　rich。　If　Liu　Bei　gets　it；　it　will　be　difficult　to　dislodge　him。〃

〃How　could　I　have　overlooked　that？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Then　he　called　upon　the　officers　of　Xiangyang　for　one　who　could　lead　the　way。　They　all　came　except　Wen　Ping。

Cao　Cao　sent　for　him　and　soon　he　came　also。

〃Why　are　you　late？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

Wen　Ping　said；　〃To　be　a　minister　and　see　ones　master　lose　his　own　boundaries　is　most　shameful。　Such　a　person　has　no　face　to　show　to　anyone　else；　and　I　was　too　ashamed　to　e。〃

His　tears　fell　fast　as　he　finished　this　speech。　Cao　Cao　admired　his　loyal　conduct　and　rewarded　him　with　office　of　Governorship　of　Jiangxia　and　a　title　of　Lordship；　and　also　bade　him　open　the　way。

The　spies　returned　and　said；　〃Liu　Bei　is　hampered　by　the　crowds　of　people　who　have　followed　him。　He　can　proceed　only　three　or　four　miles　daily；　and　he　is　only　one　hundred　miles　away。〃

Cao　Cao　decided　to　take　advantage　of　Liu　Beis　plight；　so　he　chose　out　five　thousand　of　tried　horsemen　and　sent　them　after　the　cavalcade；　giving　them　a　limit　of　a　day　and　a　night　to　e　up　therewith。　The　main　army　would　follow。

As　has　been　said　Liu　Bei　was　traveling　with　a　huge　multitude　of　followers；　to　guard　whom　he　had　taken　what　precautions　were　possible。　Zhang　Fei　was　in　charge　of　the　rear　guard；　and　Zhao　Yun　was　to　protect　his　lords　family。　G